Winter
Dec → Feb1 to 2°
nights -4 to -3°
- 19 rainy days · 211 mm
- 2.1 h of sun
- sea 6°
When is the best time to visit Norway?
- Jan2°not recommended
- Feb2°not recommended
- Mar4°not recommended
- Apr7°not recommended
- May12°fair
- Jun20°recommended
- Jul19°recommended
- Aug19°recommended
- Sep16°fair
- Oct10°not recommended
- Nov5°not recommended
- Dec1°not recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Norway, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Sunshine | Rainfall | Rainy days | Sea | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2° | -3° | 1.7 h | 273 mm | 20 d | 6° | |
| February | 2° | -3° | 3.7 h | 203 mm | 19 d | 6° | |
| March | 4° | -1° | 5.8 h | 147 mm | 18 d | 6° | |
| April | 7° | 0° | 9.1 h | 163 mm | 15 d | 7° | |
| May | 12° | 5° | 10.3 h | 105 mm | 15 d | 11° | |
| June | 20° | 11° | 11.1 h | 108 mm | 17 d | 14° | ✓ |
| July | 19° | 13° | 10.3 h | 199 mm | 24 d | 16° | ✓ |
| August | 19° | 12° | 8.8 h | 172 mm | 20 d | 16° | ✓ |
| September | 16° | 10° | 6.4 h | 172 mm | 18 d | 15° | |
| October | 10° | 4° | 4.3 h | 231 mm | 19 d | 12° | |
| November | 5° | 0° | 2.7 h | 184 mm | 14 d | 10° | |
| December | 1° | -4° | 1 h | 157 mm | 18 d | 7° |
The four seasons in Norway, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Geirangerfjord) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May4 to 12°
nights -1 to 5°
- 16 rainy days · 138 mm
- 8.4 h of sun
- sea 8°
Summer
Jun → Aug19 to 20°
nights 11 to 13°
- 20 rainy days · 160 mm
- 10.1 h of sun
- sea 15°
Autumn
Sep → Nov5 to 16°
nights 0 to 10°
- 17 rainy days · 196 mm
- 4.5 h of sun
- sea 12°
Book early for June to August
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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Daylight in Norway, month by month
The time between sunrise and sunset, from shortest to longest. Not to be confused with the sunshine hours in the table above, which count clear skies. In June there are 19h43 of daylight, in December 5h09, a difference of 14h34.
6h04Jan
8h44Feb
11h32Mar
14h41Apr
17h40May
19h43Jun
18h48Jul
15h57Aug
12h48Sep
9h46Oct
6h52Nov
5h09Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "Geirangerfjord" (62.10°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in Norway, month by month
| Activity | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hiking | ||||||||||||
| Beach & swimming | ||||||||||||
| Towns & culture | ||||||||||||
| Long days | ||||||||||||
| Events | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
EventsNational DayMayMidnight sunMay to JulyNorthern lightsSeptember to MarchDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
- Long days: April, May, June, July, August
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall, sea), not from an opinion.
What's on in Norway, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. One of these events fills the hotels and pushes prices up: something to aim for or to avoid, depending on what you want.
- MayNational Day
In mid-May, children's parades, bunad costumes and brass bands in every municipality, from central Oslo to the smallest fjord village.
- May to JulyMidnight sun big crowds
North of the Arctic Circle, the sun no longer sets from mid-May to late July, and hikes can be done at any hour.
- September to MarchNorthern lights
From autumn to early spring, the sky over the north of the country comes alive as soon as the night is dark and the weather clear.
Travelling off-peak
When to visit Norway, region by region
A country's best time is an average, and it hides big differences. Here is what the records say for each area, month by month: ✓ for a recommended month, ~ for a fair one, a dot for a month to avoid. Hover over a cell for the temperature.
| Area | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇳🇴 Bergen | · | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | · |
| 🇳🇴 The North Cape | · | · | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | · | · |
| 🇳🇴 The Norwegian Fjords | · | · | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | · |
| 🇳🇴 The Lofoten Islands | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | · | · |
| 🇳🇴 Oslo | · | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | · | · |
| 🇳🇴 Tromsø | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | · | · | · | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ |
The North CapeBest time: June to August (midnight sun: mid-May to late July)When to visit the North Cape →The North Cape guide
The Norwegian FjordsBest time: June to SeptemberWhen to visit the Norwegian Fjords →The Norwegian Fjords guide
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended2°-3° at night
- 273 mm · 20 d
- 1.7 h
- sea 6°
Low season, lower prices
February
Not recommended2°-3° at night
- 203 mm · 19 d
- 3.7 h
- sea 6°
Low season, lower prices
March
Not recommended4°-1° at night
- 147 mm · 18 d
- 5.8 h
- sea 6°
Low season, lower prices
April
Not recommended7°0° at night
- 163 mm · 15 d
- 9.1 h
- sea 7°
Low season, lower prices
May
Fair12°5° at night
- 105 mm · 15 d
- 10.3 h
- sea 11°
Busy, without the crush
June
Recommended20°11° at night
- 108 mm · 17 d
- 11.1 h
- sea 14°
High season, book early
July
Recommended19°13° at night
- 199 mm · 24 d
- 10.3 h
- sea 16°
High season, book early
August
Recommended19°12° at night
- 172 mm · 20 d
- 8.8 h
- sea 16°
High season, book early
September
Fair16°10° at night
- 172 mm · 18 d
- 6.4 h
- sea 15°
Low season, lower prices
October
Not recommended10°4° at night
- 231 mm · 19 d
- 4.3 h
- sea 12°
Low season, lower prices
November
Not recommended5°0° at night
- 184 mm · 14 d
- 2.7 h
- sea 10°
Low season, lower prices
December
Not recommended1°-4° at night
- 157 mm · 18 d
- 1 h
- sea 7°
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Deep winter: 2 °C at the warmest of the day, -3 °C at night. A very wet month, 273 mm of rain over 20 days. Very little sun: 1.7 h a day on average. Sea at 6 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Deep winter: 2 °C at the warmest of the day, -3 °C at night. A very wet month, 203 mm of rain over 19 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (3.7 h a day). Sea at 6 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. Deep winter: 4 °C at the warmest of the day, -1 °C at night. A very wet month, 147 mm of rain over 18 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (5.8 h a day). Sea at 6 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
April. Deep winter: 7 °C at the warmest of the day, 0 °C at night. A very wet month, 163 mm of rain over 15 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.1 h a day on average. Sea at 7 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
May. Cool: 12 °C at best, 5 °C at night. Frequent rain: 105 mm over 15 days. Plenty of sunshine: 10.3 h a day on average. Sea at 11 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.
June. Mild, 20 °C in the afternoon and 11 °C early in the morning. Frequent rain: 108 mm over 17 days. Plenty of sunshine: 11.1 h a day on average. Sea at 14 °C, too cold to swim. High season: book early.
July. Mild, 19 °C in the afternoon and 13 °C early in the morning. Frequent rain: 199 mm over 24 days. Plenty of sunshine: 10.3 h a day on average. Sea at 16 °C, too cold to swim. High season: book early.
August. Mild, 19 °C in the afternoon and 12 °C early in the morning. Frequent rain: 172 mm over 20 days. Expect 8.8 h of sunshine a day. Sea at 16 °C, too cold to swim. High season: book early.
September. Cool: 16 °C at best, 10 °C at night. Frequent rain: 172 mm over 18 days. Expect 6.4 h of sunshine a day. Sea at 15 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
October. Cool: 10 °C at best, 4 °C at night. A very wet month, 231 mm of rain over 19 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (4.3 h a day). Sea at 12 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
November. Deep winter: 5 °C at the warmest of the day, 0 °C at night. A very wet month, 184 mm of rain over 14 days. Very little sun: 2.7 h a day on average. Sea at 10 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
December. Deep winter: 1 °C at the warmest of the day, -4 °C at night. A very wet month, 157 mm of rain over 18 days. Very little sun: 1 h a day on average. Sea at 7 °C, too cold to swim. Quiet at the start of the month, then busier as the holidays approach.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Norway?
June to August: over these months, recorded highs range from 19 to 20 °C, with 20 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, Geirangerfjord).
Which month should you avoid in Norway?
January: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 273 mm over 20 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (Geirangerfjord).
What is the hottest month in Norway?
June, with 20 °C on average in the afternoon and 11 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Geirangerfjord).
What is the coldest month in Norway?
December, with 1 °C at best during the day and -4 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Geirangerfjord).
What is the driest month in Norway?
May: 105 mm over 15 days of rain, against 273 mm in January, the wettest month.
Which month has the most sunshine in Norway?
June, with 11.1 h of sunshine a day on average. Note that this counts clear skies, not the length of the day.
When can you swim in Norway?
The water stays cool all year (warmest 16 °C in July, measured in 2023-2024 on the nearest coast, Bergen): swimming is for the brave.
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Norway guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
Compare with other destinations
Photos: Tugce Turan / Pexels · Sofiia Asmi / Pexels · Nils R / Pexels · Deimantas Viburys / Pexels · Meri Verbina / Pexels · Francesco Ungaro / Pexels · Lukas Lussi / Pexels · Lars Böttcher / Pexels · INDU BIKASH SARKER / Pexels · Jorge Láscar from Melbourne, Australia / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Diego Delso / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Nico Becker / Pexels